A data center is a facility that houses computer systems and various networking, storage, and other related components. Data centers may, for example, provide computing services to businesses and individuals as a remote computing service or provide “software as a service” (e.g., cloud computing).
To facilitate efficient utilization of data center resources, virtualization technologies allow a physical computing device to host one or more virtual machines (VM) that appear and operate as independent computer devices to a connected user. The data center can create, maintain or delete virtual machines in a dynamic manner.
Many enterprises utilize virtualization technologies that include virtual network peering to provide connected yet secure workspaces for their business units or lines of business (LOB). Virtual machine peers may be directly linked to each other within a virtual network using private IP addresses. Besides the fact that no virtual private network (VPN) gateway is needed, virtual network peering enables large organizations to give teams managed access to virtualized resources. For example, organizations can create peered links within a region, allowing communication to cross the isolation of virtual networks so that common services and policies can be shared.
However, when enterprises expand their networks in the virtualized environment, limitations may be encountered. For example, the virtualization service provider may have a limit for the number of peering links that are supported. Organizations may need to provide isolation between various LOBs within the organization, and may host each LOB in its own virtual network and use virtual network peering to provide connections between peers. Many enterprises use a mesh network to support connection requirements. However, when enterprises attempt to replicate their networks in the virtualized environment, the limit of the number of peering links that are supported may prevent their expansion from traditional systems to the virtualized environment without significant rearchitecting and cost. For example, an enterprise can have up to 100 LOBs, requiring 5000 peering links to migrate the corresponding mesh network to the virtualized environment.
It is with respect to these considerations and others that the disclosure made herein is presented.